FOXBORO -- Bill Belichick said he’d give no previews to the practice report but Tom Brady did indeed miss the entire practice and is, in fact, ill.

Best-case scenario to have your most important player sick before the most important game of the year? No. But nobody wants the best player to be a carrier and spread his germs all over the locker room so away Tom Brady went.

It certainly sets the team back a little but there were moments of levity Wednesday despite Brady’s absence.

Bill Belichick, on the topic of his relationship with Brady was asked the last time the quarterback surprised him. “This morning,” Belichick deadpanned.

Backup quarterback Ryan Mallett, meanwhile, celebrated his good fortune in getting to play both the role of Peyton Manning for the defense and Brady for the Patriots offense.

“I like both of them,” he said. “They both get to throw it. I got to do that too.”